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The Colony
A series of gruesome attacks have been sweeping New York City. A teacher in Harlem and two sanitation workers on Wall Street are found dead, their swollen bodies nearly dissolved from the inside out. The predator is a deadly supercolony of ants--an army of one trillion soldiers with razor-sharp claws that pierce skin like paper and stinging venom that liquefies its prey.
The desperate mayor turns to the greatest ant expert in the world, Paul O’Keefe, a Pulitzer Prize–winning scientist in an Armani suit. But Paul is baffled by the ants. They are twice the size of any normal ant and have no recognizable DNA. They’re vicious in the field yet docile in the hand. Paul calls on the one person he knows can help destroy the colony, his ex-wife Kendra Hart, a spirited entomologist studying fire ants in the New Mexico desert. Kendra is taken to a secret underground bunker in New York City, where she finds herself working side by side with her brilliant but arrogant ex-husband and a high-ranking military officer hell-bent on stopping the insects with a nuclear bomb.
When the ants launch an all-out attack, Paul and Kendra hit the dangerous, panic-stricken streets of New York, searching for a coveted queen. It’s a race to unlock the secrets of an indestructible new species, before the president nukes Manhattan.
A.J. Colucci's debut novel is a terrifying mix of classic Michael Crichton and Stephen King. A thriller with the highest stakes and the most fascinating science, The Colony does for ants what Jaws did for sharks.
The desperate mayor turns to the greatest ant expert in the world, Paul O’Keefe, a Pulitzer Prize–winning scientist in an Armani suit. But Paul is baffled by the ants. They are twice the size of any normal ant and have no recognizable DNA. They’re vicious in the field yet docile in the hand. Paul calls on the one person he knows can help destroy the colony, his ex-wife Kendra Hart, a spirited entomologist studying fire ants in the New Mexico desert. Kendra is taken to a secret underground bunker in New York City, where she finds herself working side by side with her brilliant but arrogant ex-husband and a high-ranking military officer hell-bent on stopping the insects with a nuclear bomb.
When the ants launch an all-out attack, Paul and Kendra hit the dangerous, panic-stricken streets of New York, searching for a coveted queen. It’s a race to unlock the secrets of an indestructible new species, before the president nukes Manhattan.
A.J. Colucci's debut novel is a terrifying mix of classic Michael Crichton and Stephen King. A thriller with the highest stakes and the most fascinating science, The Colony does for ants what Jaws did for sharks.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published November 13, 2012
4 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Colucci
4 books43 followersA.J. Colucci is an author of science thrillers, stories that combine true, cutting-edge science with the adrenaline-rush a thriller. Her latest novel, SEEDERS, was described by #1 New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston as “Gripping and brilliantly original.” Her debut novel THE COLONY was given a starred review by Publishers Weekly and Booklist called it “a frightening combination of well-researched science and scenes of pure horror.”
" I like to write about nature because it can be a brutal place—kill or be killed,” said Colucci, “But it's also filled with a sort of beauty and logic that makes you wonder which species are truly evolved. Humans have a tendency to separate themselves from everything non-human. We consider ourselves above nature, not part of it. I think it's important to recognize what we have in common and gain a better understanding of all living creatures that share this planet."
A.J. spent 15 years as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor and writer for corporate America. Today she is a full-time author who lives in New Jersey with her husband, two daughters and a couple of adorable cats.
A.J. is a member of International Thriller Writers.
" I like to write about nature because it can be a brutal place—kill or be killed,” said Colucci, “But it's also filled with a sort of beauty and logic that makes you wonder which species are truly evolved. Humans have a tendency to separate themselves from everything non-human. We consider ourselves above nature, not part of it. I think it's important to recognize what we have in common and gain a better understanding of all living creatures that share this planet."
A.J. spent 15 years as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor and writer for corporate America. Today she is a full-time author who lives in New Jersey with her husband, two daughters and a couple of adorable cats.
A.J. is a member of International Thriller Writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
September 18, 2018
meh.
i must confess, i was hoping for something more like this:
as a companion to those wonderful crab books i read. you know, this one and this one.
but this was not as pulpy as i had expected; sadly there's not much of the lurid to be found here.
the dust jacket had such promise:
The desperate mayor turns to the greatest ant expert in the world, Paul O'Keefe, a Pulitzer Prize-winning scientist in an Armani suit. But Paul is baffled by the ants. They are twice the size of any normal ant and have no recognizable DNA. They're vicious in the field yet docile in the hand. Paul calls on the one person he knows can help destroy the colony, his ex-wife, Kendra Hart, a spirited entomologist studying fire ants in the New Mexico desert. Kendra is taken to a secret underground bunker in New York City, where she finds herself working side by side with her brilliant but arrogant ex-husband and a high-ranking military officer hell-bent on stopping the insects with a nuclear bomb.
how could that not be a fantastic romp in the spirit of the great guy n. smith??? i expected this to be so terrible that it would be a laff riot.
but it's more sedate than that. the characters, while not terribly well-defined, are not the sex-crazed cartoons that the genre is screaming out for.
this one is more like a michael crichton book. and that's fine. you will learn a fair bit about ants, be they real or genetic hybrid-weapons grade ants. there will be a lot of blood and terror and ants burrowing under the skin of their still-living victims. it definitely fulfills the gross-out demands of its readers.
because, ew.
which is why the rest of it is such a disappointment. ant characters = good. people characters = bad. if you're not going to have the people sitting around making sexist or racist comments as they shag each other with key-party abandon, then at least give them some other function than to have an insipid love triangle and flat dialogue. this isn't YA here! the ants had way more personality than the humans, whose forced personality quirks were a little grating. because, yes, the entomologist sure is "spirited." which means she chops off all her hair on a whim and only eats chocolate. oh, and she is allergic to fire ants. d'oh!!
and the dialogue:
"We have a moral obligation to tell people the truth."
"What truth is that?" the mayor asked flippantly.
"That New Yorkers are on the dinner menu of a trillion insects, thanks to the United States military."
"That's funny, Paul. You have a real gift for comedy - if you think going public is an option."
ba-zing!
and a nuclear weapon is a good idea, military, but i would have just parachuted a bunch of anteaters down into NYFC:
and they would have been all
problem solved!
(these places sure could use more anteaters with parachutes.)
because ants look all sweet when they are alone
but they don't stay alone for long.
ROAR!!
this book made me itchy, but also antsy for some meatier characters. it is a wonder these ants just didn't die off when faced with such meager meals.
oh, but the ending is to syrupy-awful that it was almost like getting a too-little, too-late taste of the guy n. smith.
but it wasn't enough.
skim it and read the death-scenes, is my advice.
ANTS!
come to my blog!
i must confess, i was hoping for something more like this:
as a companion to those wonderful crab books i read. you know, this one and this one.
but this was not as pulpy as i had expected; sadly there's not much of the lurid to be found here.
the dust jacket had such promise:
The desperate mayor turns to the greatest ant expert in the world, Paul O'Keefe, a Pulitzer Prize-winning scientist in an Armani suit. But Paul is baffled by the ants. They are twice the size of any normal ant and have no recognizable DNA. They're vicious in the field yet docile in the hand. Paul calls on the one person he knows can help destroy the colony, his ex-wife, Kendra Hart, a spirited entomologist studying fire ants in the New Mexico desert. Kendra is taken to a secret underground bunker in New York City, where she finds herself working side by side with her brilliant but arrogant ex-husband and a high-ranking military officer hell-bent on stopping the insects with a nuclear bomb.
how could that not be a fantastic romp in the spirit of the great guy n. smith??? i expected this to be so terrible that it would be a laff riot.
but it's more sedate than that. the characters, while not terribly well-defined, are not the sex-crazed cartoons that the genre is screaming out for.
this one is more like a michael crichton book. and that's fine. you will learn a fair bit about ants, be they real or genetic hybrid-weapons grade ants. there will be a lot of blood and terror and ants burrowing under the skin of their still-living victims. it definitely fulfills the gross-out demands of its readers.
because, ew.
which is why the rest of it is such a disappointment. ant characters = good. people characters = bad. if you're not going to have the people sitting around making sexist or racist comments as they shag each other with key-party abandon, then at least give them some other function than to have an insipid love triangle and flat dialogue. this isn't YA here! the ants had way more personality than the humans, whose forced personality quirks were a little grating. because, yes, the entomologist sure is "spirited." which means she chops off all her hair on a whim and only eats chocolate. oh, and she is allergic to fire ants. d'oh!!
and the dialogue:
"We have a moral obligation to tell people the truth."
"What truth is that?" the mayor asked flippantly.
"That New Yorkers are on the dinner menu of a trillion insects, thanks to the United States military."
"That's funny, Paul. You have a real gift for comedy - if you think going public is an option."
ba-zing!
and a nuclear weapon is a good idea, military, but i would have just parachuted a bunch of anteaters down into NYFC:
and they would have been all
problem solved!
(these places sure could use more anteaters with parachutes.)
because ants look all sweet when they are alone
but they don't stay alone for long.
ROAR!!
this book made me itchy, but also antsy for some meatier characters. it is a wonder these ants just didn't die off when faced with such meager meals.
oh, but the ending is to syrupy-awful that it was almost like getting a too-little, too-late taste of the guy n. smith.
but it wasn't enough.
skim it and read the death-scenes, is my advice.
ANTS!
come to my blog!
March 4, 2013
I WANT to like this book for it's almost campy almost sci-fi qualities, but it felt like everything "The Colony" wanted to be was lacking in execution. It had a few quality moments but they were too few and far between to really make the book have a meaningful impact on me.
The end was very anticlimactic and played it way too safe, it could be me but I don't like when everything is wrapped up in a perfect little ending moment, not after all hell as broken loose. Someone else on here said it would make a good movie, and I can stand behind that comment and say if it were a low budget movie on the sci-fi channel that didn't take itself at all seriously I would watch it.
The end was very anticlimactic and played it way too safe, it could be me but I don't like when everything is wrapped up in a perfect little ending moment, not after all hell as broken loose. Someone else on here said it would make a good movie, and I can stand behind that comment and say if it were a low budget movie on the sci-fi channel that didn't take itself at all seriously I would watch it.
November 29, 2014
Colucci constructs a story that is both eerie and entertaining in its premise. When a colony of ants begins causing havoc in New York City, the FBI contacts two of the country's great entomologists who specialise in ants, Kendra Hart and Paul O'Keefe. With a history of their own, Hart and O'Keefe must shelve their issues and work together to identify this colony and then determine how to stop it in its tracks. After the military clues them in to a scientific experiment uncovered in Bolivia, Hart and O'Keefe discover the colony is made up of genetically-altered Siafu Moto, who are not only immune to chemical death, but whose predators include anything that walks. The only way to stop the Siafu is to isolate the queen and force the soldiers to lose their way. However, the US Administration has set a firm timeline before they enact a nuclear option of their own. Hart and O'Keefe must rush to isolate the queen and extract the specific pheromone used to unleash the soldier ants, all before the population of NYC is literally eaten alive by this colony. Colucci has captured some of the great sci-fi apocalyptic writing style to keep the reader engaged and curious about who could be behind this horrific attack and how it can be stopped. A good read to kill time, though by no means a literary classic.
Colucci has done her research and presents it in a thorough and clear manner. While much of the content, as it relates to the ants, is highly technical, using the two entomologists and the progress of the epidemic makes for both interesting reading and educational enlightenment. While the story does have a hokey aspect to it, and has degrees of predicability, its content keeps the plot pacing forward and cannot be ignored. With decent character development and some fast-paced racing through the streets,the novel does what it seeks to, create a Walking Dead-esque type story to reach out to those who enjoy the genre. With the added bonus of a social theme regarding wars of the future, time to ponder is a must for the dedicated reader. For me, it served the purpose to fill a gap I had in my reading schedule (yes, I have a schedule!) and made for a fun one-day read.
Kudos, Madam Colucci for meeting expectations and proving that bugs can be entertaining.
Colucci has done her research and presents it in a thorough and clear manner. While much of the content, as it relates to the ants, is highly technical, using the two entomologists and the progress of the epidemic makes for both interesting reading and educational enlightenment. While the story does have a hokey aspect to it, and has degrees of predicability, its content keeps the plot pacing forward and cannot be ignored. With decent character development and some fast-paced racing through the streets,the novel does what it seeks to, create a Walking Dead-esque type story to reach out to those who enjoy the genre. With the added bonus of a social theme regarding wars of the future, time to ponder is a must for the dedicated reader. For me, it served the purpose to fill a gap I had in my reading schedule (yes, I have a schedule!) and made for a fun one-day read.
Kudos, Madam Colucci for meeting expectations and proving that bugs can be entertaining.
September 22, 2021
Entertaining mix of creature feature and science thriller but CORNY as all get out. Horror scenes are pretty cool though and it’s paced well. Goes down smooth enough.
December 1, 2018
Pretty trashy killer ant book. The experts called to solve the problem are in an unnecessary love triangle, the colonels reasoning unfathomable & the dialogue is terrible but it's ok if you are into crappy shark movies, as I very much am. The science is passable, as far as I know, ants aren't my strong point. It will probably be a movie soon.
October 9, 2012
ScienceThrillers review: Why is it so much fun to devastate New York City? Since King Kong first had a go at Manhattan mayhem, NYC has repeatedly been the target of novelists and filmmakers bent on releasing killer viruses, ghosts, zombies, natural disasters, alien invasions…
Continuing this tradition with a new entomologic twist, The Colony by AJ Colucci is a debut science thriller in which genetically-altered killer ants take on the monster role. Released in the strong opening scene by a deranged scientist with unknown motivations, the ants quietly build an underground empire as they prepare to sterilize the city of human (and other) life. If given the chance, they’ll swarm globally and wipe out the human race.
Almost as much fun as trashing New York is reviewing a book by a new author that I’m excited to tell people about. AJ Colucci’s The Colony is such a book, a perfect beach read that thriller fans will devour like ants at a picnic.
In this story our heroes are scientists (yippee!), entomologists (insect experts) who were once married but are now estranged. He (Dr. Paul O’Keefe) is a scientific media star, lives in NY and works at the American Museum of Natural History (momentary shades of Relic by Douglas Preston). She (Dr. Kendra Hart) has abandoned the city and the spotlight for research in the desert. I like the way author Colucci portrays these two. They’re competitive, competent, sexual, and attractive. Too often scientists in pop culture are geeky, stiff, ugly, or mentally unhinged.
Throughout The Colony the reader meets interesting minor characters in short, stand-alone scenes. These characters are red shirts (Star Trek reference, sorry)–they’re about to become ant bait. These death scene vignettes give a touch of horror and are highly cinematic. In fact, what’s most striking about The Colony is its movie-like quality. Of all the science thrillers I’ve read lately, this one seems the most likely to be made into a movie.
How you respond to this book will therefore depend on how you feel about this type of storytelling. From early in the book, it’s pretty clear how things will turn out. Don’t be surprised if you’re never surprised. Some reviewers will surely criticize this book saying, “It’s formulaic. It’s predictable.” To which I say, guilty as charged. The Colony is formulaic in the same way serving milk with cookies is formulaic. Yes, it’s familiar, but it’s exactly what people want. The author has whipped up a confection with broad appeal in the style of a holiday-release blockbuster action flick (without the explosions).
As a critic, my complaints are minor. The descriptions of how individual victims of the ants suffer were a bit overdone and didn’t feel believable. Various plot elements drift toward ridiculous (in the same way they do in most action movies): a tunnel escape hatch is too convenient, the human villain too willingly reveals his plot, and the radiation plan doesn’t even sound like it would work much less be worth the cost. The dangerous removal of a protective headcover in a climactic scene seemed silly and unnecessary in a book–they do that in movies so we can see the actor’s face. And I gagged on the syrupy ending.
Nevertheless, I totally enjoyed The Colony. It’s well-written, well-paced, easy to digest and full of science-y things. For a debut novelist, AJ Colucci has nailed the thriller formula and created a book that readers will love. It’ll be exciting to watch what Colucci writes next. Having mastered the basic form of this genre, she may be poised to create something truly original in the future.
4 biohazard symbols for scientists as characters, believable insect science, using gas chromatography in a scene, and more.
Key words: pheromone; gas chromatograph; laccase; integrated pest management; red fire ant; royal jelly; alate; driver ants; Siafu moto; formaldehyde; ground penetrating radar; electroantennogram
FCC disclaimer: An advance reader copy of this book was given to me for review. As always, I made no guarantee that I would read the book or post a positive review.
Continuing this tradition with a new entomologic twist, The Colony by AJ Colucci is a debut science thriller in which genetically-altered killer ants take on the monster role. Released in the strong opening scene by a deranged scientist with unknown motivations, the ants quietly build an underground empire as they prepare to sterilize the city of human (and other) life. If given the chance, they’ll swarm globally and wipe out the human race.
Almost as much fun as trashing New York is reviewing a book by a new author that I’m excited to tell people about. AJ Colucci’s The Colony is such a book, a perfect beach read that thriller fans will devour like ants at a picnic.
In this story our heroes are scientists (yippee!), entomologists (insect experts) who were once married but are now estranged. He (Dr. Paul O’Keefe) is a scientific media star, lives in NY and works at the American Museum of Natural History (momentary shades of Relic by Douglas Preston). She (Dr. Kendra Hart) has abandoned the city and the spotlight for research in the desert. I like the way author Colucci portrays these two. They’re competitive, competent, sexual, and attractive. Too often scientists in pop culture are geeky, stiff, ugly, or mentally unhinged.
Throughout The Colony the reader meets interesting minor characters in short, stand-alone scenes. These characters are red shirts (Star Trek reference, sorry)–they’re about to become ant bait. These death scene vignettes give a touch of horror and are highly cinematic. In fact, what’s most striking about The Colony is its movie-like quality. Of all the science thrillers I’ve read lately, this one seems the most likely to be made into a movie.
How you respond to this book will therefore depend on how you feel about this type of storytelling. From early in the book, it’s pretty clear how things will turn out. Don’t be surprised if you’re never surprised. Some reviewers will surely criticize this book saying, “It’s formulaic. It’s predictable.” To which I say, guilty as charged. The Colony is formulaic in the same way serving milk with cookies is formulaic. Yes, it’s familiar, but it’s exactly what people want. The author has whipped up a confection with broad appeal in the style of a holiday-release blockbuster action flick (without the explosions).
As a critic, my complaints are minor. The descriptions of how individual victims of the ants suffer were a bit overdone and didn’t feel believable. Various plot elements drift toward ridiculous (in the same way they do in most action movies): a tunnel escape hatch is too convenient, the human villain too willingly reveals his plot, and the radiation plan doesn’t even sound like it would work much less be worth the cost. The dangerous removal of a protective headcover in a climactic scene seemed silly and unnecessary in a book–they do that in movies so we can see the actor’s face. And I gagged on the syrupy ending.
Nevertheless, I totally enjoyed The Colony. It’s well-written, well-paced, easy to digest and full of science-y things. For a debut novelist, AJ Colucci has nailed the thriller formula and created a book that readers will love. It’ll be exciting to watch what Colucci writes next. Having mastered the basic form of this genre, she may be poised to create something truly original in the future.
4 biohazard symbols for scientists as characters, believable insect science, using gas chromatography in a scene, and more.
Key words: pheromone; gas chromatograph; laccase; integrated pest management; red fire ant; royal jelly; alate; driver ants; Siafu moto; formaldehyde; ground penetrating radar; electroantennogram
FCC disclaimer: An advance reader copy of this book was given to me for review. As always, I made no guarantee that I would read the book or post a positive review.
October 19, 2023
the ants had more personality then the characters 😭
but the horror scenes were pretty good
and i know alottt about ants now
but the horror scenes were pretty good
and i know alottt about ants now
January 10, 2013
I picked this book up at the recommendation of my favorite author Scott Sigler, It seemed like a clear winner but for me fell a little short. The book about a killer ant invasion of New York focuses heavily on the science behind these ants while also taking the time for a love story as well as actual invasion for which the story is written.
I am personally not a huge romance fan but the love story didn't detract from the book in the least and despite coming to fruition in a predictable manner was well implemented in the story. The action scenes in The Colony are truly the best moments of this book, the author paints them so vividly as to keep you completely enthralled for the entire duration and to keep you reading through what in my opinion where the worse moments of the book: the science.
When does a science fiction book begin to have too much science? I'm not sure but for me it happened often throughout this book when finishing the characters lectures became more of a chore then it should have been.
All that being said, The Colony may never become part of my permanent collection but For anyone who loves well written action and doesn't mind a science lesson or twenty then pick this up. You may love it or like me simply enjoy it.
I am personally not a huge romance fan but the love story didn't detract from the book in the least and despite coming to fruition in a predictable manner was well implemented in the story. The action scenes in The Colony are truly the best moments of this book, the author paints them so vividly as to keep you completely enthralled for the entire duration and to keep you reading through what in my opinion where the worse moments of the book: the science.
When does a science fiction book begin to have too much science? I'm not sure but for me it happened often throughout this book when finishing the characters lectures became more of a chore then it should have been.
All that being said, The Colony may never become part of my permanent collection but For anyone who loves well written action and doesn't mind a science lesson or twenty then pick this up. You may love it or like me simply enjoy it.
December 31, 2012
The book is classic pulp fiction and I am impressed with the ease of reading the author offered me. The characters were engaging and the story line simple. The science kept it interesting and I will recommend this story to people who like sci-fi
January 16, 2013
The premise was better than the execution. Would make a pretty cool movie though.
March 14, 2014
Ants as a weapon? Scary. I wish love story was edited out; it was distracting from an otherwise great story.
October 4, 2016
This was your typical "scary" book about ants taking over the world. Bloody in some parts and quite graphic in others.
Feel free to pass this one up...you really won't be missing anything atall.
Feel free to pass this one up...you really won't be missing anything atall.
July 22, 2019
Bodies are turning up in New York City. A teacher, two santitation workers, and an MTA employee all turn up dead, their bodies dissolved from the inside out. The culprit is a supercolony of ants of massive size. A.J Colucci’s debut novel The Colony is a science fiction horror novel that combines espionage and science in a memorable tale of true horror.
The mayor of New York City is desperate to keep the steadily mounting deaths under wraps. The last thing the city needs is widespread panic. The world’s greatest ant expert, Paul O’Keefe, is working without sleep, but Pulitzer Prize or not, his experiments are hitting a dead end. The ants are immense and like nothing he’s ever seen. Normal extermination methods don’t work, and the body count is steadily climbing. Brought in for consultation is fire ant expert Kendra Hart, Paul’s ex-wife. Together, they must bring the ant supercolony under control. Meanwhile, things get direr on the streets of the city and several federal government agencies begin to take notice of the situation.
The story shifts between both Kendra and Paul’s points of view, switching from one to the other as the story moves steadily forward. It is easy to see what drew the pair to one another, and just as easy to identify what drove them apart. Both Paul and Kendra are flawed, something both are willing enough to admit to. The pair feel incredibly human, each one a combination of infuriating and endearing traits. The messy separation doesn’t have quite the same clear cut villain-versus-victim tone other novels can take. Both are at fault for the dissolution of their marriage, and both must learn to work together and communicate in a way they never did while married. If they don’t, the consequences are dire, not just for them, but for the entirety of the human race.
What begins as a sort of mystery/thriller quickly evolves into something else. The decently paced mystery takes a turn for the horrific rather quickly. The super colony of ants isn’t just claiming a victim here or there. They are poised to do immense damage to the city, and that is exactly what begins to happen. We see the damage firsthand along with what the stress of the situation can do to people.
All the while, larger forces are at play. Paul and Kendra may be tasked with stopping the ants, but not everyone is willing to go along with their plan, and some don’t want the ants destroyed at all. More human enemies make themselves known, posing an entirely different sort of threat to Paul and Kendra. While the question of where the ants came from and why is easily solvable, how exactly it will play out and what the consequences will be aren’t quite so clear cut. What begins as a human vs. ant problem quickly becomes a much more tangled web with the threat of utter destruction hanging over us from page one right to the bitter end.
While our main characters are complex characters with believable personalities, not every character fits into the same mold. Several characters’ reasoning was nigh unfathomable, with the most extreme measures not being considered as last resorts but as the first option. However unreasonable certain character’s might have been, the story was still greatly entertaining and overall feel generally in line with any other horror book involving giant monsters.
The tense atmosphere ramps up towards the end of the book. The pacing runs at breakneck speed before coming to a rather sudden halt. The conclusion wraps up rather tidily, showing readers what happens to our main characters afterwards. The conclusion felt unrealistic and much too cleanly wrapped up, especially considering the circumstances.
Overall, The Colony by A.J. Colucci is sure to keep readers on their seats. Believable science and horror are masterfully combined to create a sense of true fear and keep readers coming back for more.
The mayor of New York City is desperate to keep the steadily mounting deaths under wraps. The last thing the city needs is widespread panic. The world’s greatest ant expert, Paul O’Keefe, is working without sleep, but Pulitzer Prize or not, his experiments are hitting a dead end. The ants are immense and like nothing he’s ever seen. Normal extermination methods don’t work, and the body count is steadily climbing. Brought in for consultation is fire ant expert Kendra Hart, Paul’s ex-wife. Together, they must bring the ant supercolony under control. Meanwhile, things get direr on the streets of the city and several federal government agencies begin to take notice of the situation.
The story shifts between both Kendra and Paul’s points of view, switching from one to the other as the story moves steadily forward. It is easy to see what drew the pair to one another, and just as easy to identify what drove them apart. Both Paul and Kendra are flawed, something both are willing enough to admit to. The pair feel incredibly human, each one a combination of infuriating and endearing traits. The messy separation doesn’t have quite the same clear cut villain-versus-victim tone other novels can take. Both are at fault for the dissolution of their marriage, and both must learn to work together and communicate in a way they never did while married. If they don’t, the consequences are dire, not just for them, but for the entirety of the human race.
What begins as a sort of mystery/thriller quickly evolves into something else. The decently paced mystery takes a turn for the horrific rather quickly. The super colony of ants isn’t just claiming a victim here or there. They are poised to do immense damage to the city, and that is exactly what begins to happen. We see the damage firsthand along with what the stress of the situation can do to people.
All the while, larger forces are at play. Paul and Kendra may be tasked with stopping the ants, but not everyone is willing to go along with their plan, and some don’t want the ants destroyed at all. More human enemies make themselves known, posing an entirely different sort of threat to Paul and Kendra. While the question of where the ants came from and why is easily solvable, how exactly it will play out and what the consequences will be aren’t quite so clear cut. What begins as a human vs. ant problem quickly becomes a much more tangled web with the threat of utter destruction hanging over us from page one right to the bitter end.
While our main characters are complex characters with believable personalities, not every character fits into the same mold. Several characters’ reasoning was nigh unfathomable, with the most extreme measures not being considered as last resorts but as the first option. However unreasonable certain character’s might have been, the story was still greatly entertaining and overall feel generally in line with any other horror book involving giant monsters.
The tense atmosphere ramps up towards the end of the book. The pacing runs at breakneck speed before coming to a rather sudden halt. The conclusion wraps up rather tidily, showing readers what happens to our main characters afterwards. The conclusion felt unrealistic and much too cleanly wrapped up, especially considering the circumstances.
Overall, The Colony by A.J. Colucci is sure to keep readers on their seats. Believable science and horror are masterfully combined to create a sense of true fear and keep readers coming back for more.
April 11, 2023
The story was an amazing idea, overall.
It is really prevalent that the author did a shit ton of research to make this book as accurate as possible. I learned a lot more than I would have liked to about ants, but that it what kept me reading it.
The descriptions of the scenes were top tier, I was able to visualize the setting that the characters were in. With that being said, compared to other works by this author, this book could have been written a lot better.
There were many time in the book where I was confused by the jumpbacks. For example When Kendra was reminiscing about how her parents died. The emotions that she went through were vague.
Another example would be the relationship between Kendra and Paul. The background and the history of these two were giving very much wtf is going on.
I understand that they used to be married to each other, but when I was reading the book I disliked how shallow their relationship was and how all over the place it seemed.
The tension between Paul and Kendra should have had more tension between them. By the way the book was going I wouldn't have guessed that they would get remarried at the end. Speaking of the end, it felt rushed and smooshed together.
Although I have all of these critics of A.J. Colucci's book, I really hope that she writes another book. I look forward to see what else she comes up with!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2021
As is typical of fiction books dealing with science topics, some liberties were taken with the science, but nothing a non-biologist should have any serious quibbles about. There are a couple of spots where a lack of research shows in other areas as well, but nothing dramatic enough to drag me out of the story. It was a clever idea and nicely plotted.
I thought for sure I marked one of the future corpses when one character announced that as long as he was alive they wouldn't bomb New York City. Surprisingly, that turned out not to be foreshadowing. I did enjoy the potential redemption of the ants suggested in the wrap-up. After all, what happened wasn't really their fault.
I thought for sure I marked one of the future corpses when one character announced that as long as he was alive they wouldn't bomb New York City. Surprisingly, that turned out not to be foreshadowing. I did enjoy the potential redemption of the ants suggested in the wrap-up. After all, what happened wasn't really their fault.
September 13, 2020
Scientist Kendra Hart is forced to reunite with her ex-husband Paul O'Keefe when they are called to an underground bunker in New York. Their mission is to stop the Siafu Moto, a psycho-killer ant species that could wipe out the whole city and possibly the entire world. Kendra has to find the solution to a global crisis while trying to collaborate non-sexually amidst the allure of her two hot exes – one of which she really wants back. This story really makes you antsy with adrenaline as you take a stroll through compelling characters, gory deaths and intense plot twists!
June 14, 2019
I thought the book did a very good job at being descriptive to keep the reader’s attention on how gross getting engulfed in insects can be, but I was just left underwhelmed. It was written fairly well considering the subject. I felt like the book was a little juvenile it certain areas such as romance and problem solving. I did enjoy the arch of the two main characters. All in all, the book was worth reading for the way it made your skin crawl!
September 25, 2022
So so good
What a ride. Non stop action, intrigue and downright brilliant. Hanging onto my seat twist and turns in this story. A worthwhile read. Even learned a little about ants. In telling my neighbor about this book we got itchy lol. It's rained a lot and left us seeing ants heading for dry ground. Near us. Yikes. Lol. The ants go marching one by one hurrah hurrah stuck in my head. Lol. Not a moment wasted reading this thriller
What a ride. Non stop action, intrigue and downright brilliant. Hanging onto my seat twist and turns in this story. A worthwhile read. Even learned a little about ants. In telling my neighbor about this book we got itchy lol. It's rained a lot and left us seeing ants heading for dry ground. Near us. Yikes. Lol. The ants go marching one by one hurrah hurrah stuck in my head. Lol. Not a moment wasted reading this thriller
November 29, 2017
3.5 stars
A good little book about mutated ants that can kill humans if there are enough of them. There are a few billion of them in New York by the time most of the story takes place. It gets a gross at times in the descriptions of the deaths by the ants so not for the squeamish at those parts. A very fun and quick book.
A good little book about mutated ants that can kill humans if there are enough of them. There are a few billion of them in New York by the time most of the story takes place. It gets a gross at times in the descriptions of the deaths by the ants so not for the squeamish at those parts. A very fun and quick book.
January 29, 2023
This was my second ant book this month, back to back no less, am I freaking crazy?!
I didn't quite enjoy this one as much as I did the other one. It had more of a military/political aspect which I actually found I enjoyed less for the storyline. The love triangle I felt was a little unnecessary but learning about the ants were still interesting!
I didn't quite enjoy this one as much as I did the other one. It had more of a military/political aspect which I actually found I enjoyed less for the storyline. The love triangle I felt was a little unnecessary but learning about the ants were still interesting!
November 6, 2017
Fun, creepy read!
July 15, 2018
Fun read
November 9, 2018
Really dumb book however the 5-7 chapters or so of ant attacks really made it worth it for me
March 6, 2019
I loved this creepy ,crawly ,terrifying adventure 🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜😳 I'm really not sure why the ratings are so low, it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
December 21, 2019
Loved it! Fast paced. Great idea for a book. Love the ideas to ponder. Well written.
January 24, 2020
A devastating attack of genetically engineered ants on New York City helps the marriage of two work-centered (and self-centered) ant specialists.
February 29, 2020
Really creepy premise, but lacking a certain something.
July 23, 2021
Don't get attached to anyone, FYI! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. No long boring parts and good character development without being gratuitous. Good read!
January 6, 2022
I tried to like this book but it is basically a cheesy romance CW series. I wish the book had more of what they had to do to get the queen but it just seemed too easy.
April 18, 2022
Not as good as I wanted it to be but I liked the storyline and for a non-sciency person like me, the science seemed sound enough.
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